


The Third Ring

by heartheldhostage



Category: Haven - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-08
Updated: 2014-09-08
Packaged: 2018-02-16 15:08:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2274363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartheldhostage/pseuds/heartheldhostage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once everyone starts working together, things finally fall into place to end the Troubles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Third Ring

She circled him lying on the floor. The others had run as soon as she'd pretended not to notice. She'd let them go for now. Her current interest was lying at her feet. “There's something about you, Duke Crocker, something I can't quite put my finger on.”

“Could be it's the fact that I'm going to kill you,” Duke said. He wasn't able to manage his usual bluster, but his words had enough force to make his intent clear.

“You couldn't kill me if you wanted to. Your precious 'Audrey' is still in here.”

“You're not Audrey. You're nothing like Audrey.”

“True enough. Why would they bury me under someone who's just like me?” she asked, leering at him.

The woman laughed. There was no merriment in it. It was cold and hard, just like her eyes. “Which one would you choose if I promised to give one of them back to you?” She traced the line of his firm jaw with her index finger.

“I'd choose Jennifer,” Duke answered without skipping a beat.

Duke didn't have much longer. He was sitting in a pool of his own blood. It had even started oozing from his skin.

“Why?” she asked, for some reason desperately needing to know the answer, “why not Audrey?”

“Jennifer never asked to be mixed up in this. Audrey would not want Jennifer sacrificed for her. Neither would I,” Duke whispered.

“Well then, I guess it would be nice of me to grant a dying man his last wish,” she sneered. She held up her hand. She closed it and rubbed her fingers over her palm then touched Jennifer's cheek and closed her eyes.

“What are you doing to her? Leave her alone!” Duke tried to get to Jennifer, but he was just too weak.

Jennifer gasped for breath. She opened her eyes and closed them again, but her chest was rising and falling with her breathing. She was alive.

Duke tried to rush to her side, but he just fell back to the floor of the cavern. He could stop fighting now. He could rest because Jennifer was okay. He closed his eyes, and the world faded away.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“You can't go back in there, Nathan!” Dave exclaimed. “It's too dangerous!”

“Duke is still in there. I'm going back,” Nathan snapped.

Dwight grabbed Nathan's arm as he was about to return to the lighthouse. “Not alone, you're not. Help me get these two settled first.”

Nathan and Dwight got Dave and Vince into Nathan's Bronco. Dave was cuffed to the back of the driver's seat. They weren't worried about cuffing Vince; they knew he wouldn't leave Dave. They returned to the cavern to find Jennifer sitting beside Duke.

“He won't wake up,” she said. “He's barely breathing.”

“Looks like they switched up a bit,” Dwight said with a look of confusion on his face.

“Where's Audrey...Mara?” Nathan corrected himself.

“She was gone when I came to. You were all gone,” her voice was soft, but her eyes were accusing.

“She must have slipped past us when we were getting Vince and Dave squared away,” Dwight said.

“You grab Duke; I'll help Jennifer,” Nathan said.

Though she was fully alert, Jennifer seemed as weak as a newborn. Nathan practically had to carry her to the Bronco. He got her belted into the passenger seat while Dwight laid Duke down in the back.

Nathan didn't obey many traffic laws as they raced to the hospital. He had called Gloria and asked her to meet them there. She arrived just as nurses were rushing Jennifer, Duke, and Dave inside. “Thanks for coming, Gloria. I know this hasn't been an easy day for you at all.”

She squeezed Nathan's arm even knowing he couldn't feel it. “Duke just saved my grandson. Of course I'm going to do whatever I can to help him.” They followed the staff inside.

The doctor on call treated Dave's gunshot wound. He questioned Nathan about it, but Dwight was the one to answer. “Innocent bystander. Mugging gone bad,” he said.

 _Once a cleaner, always a cleaner_ , Nathan thought vaguely.

Gloria was the one working on Duke. Nathan was grateful, once again, for her take-no-bullshit attitude. Tests and results were achieved more accurately and quickly with Gloria keeping the staff on their toes. Unfortunately, she still had no answers when she came to speak with them.

“He has no external wounds, but I'm guessing you already knew that. He's bleeding from every pore on his body. He's already on his third pint of blood. We can hardly replace it fast enough. Nothing I've tried has gotten any response from him at all, but he's not in a coma. I can't explain it,” she sighed.

“I checked on Jennifer while I was back there. They're running a few tests. It'll take time because I put a rush on all Duke's work. She's asking for you two, but her doctor wants to wait until the last test is run. Should be about another fifteen minutes. I suggest you boys get yourselves some coffee because you look like shit,” Gloria gave them a halfhearted smile before returning to Duke.

“I'll get that coffee,” Dwight said. “You wait here in case there's any news.”

Nathan nodded. He found a chair with a clear view of the rooms his friends were in and sat down.

He wasn't hurting, but he knew how stressed his body must be. He rubbed his hands over his eyes and then rolled his head around on his neck.

That was all it took to miss Mara, wearing a nurse's uniform, sneaking into Duke's room.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gloria had stepped out. It wouldn't have mattered if she hadn't because Mara was prepared to deal with her. As it happened, she had a clear path to Duke. She stepped up beside the lifeless form on the bed.

 _What is it about this man?_ she wondered, not for the first time. She could be rid of his pesky curse right now. Just walk away and let him die, and she'd no longer have to worry about him interfering with her fun. She could give the crying Trouble to someone else and enjoy the devastation it would bring, enjoy knowing he wouldn't be able to stop it. He was locked inside himself, trying to fight the Troubles now struggling to break free from his body.

She stepped closer, reached out her finger, and traced the hand print she could still see on his chest. She raised her hand and rubbed her fingers over her palm before she placed her hand on the print Audrey had left. A thrill shot through her as she watched and felt him tremble beneath her touch. She pulled away when he stilled again and sneaked out of the room.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dwight was sitting at his desk in his office when someone walked in and closed the door. Looking up to see Mara, he stood and approached her. “This is the last place I expected to see you,” he said.

“Nice to see you, too, Dwight,” she smiled coyly at him.

“What do you want, Mara?”

She smiled at him and ran her fingers down his arm. “I know you don't like me, Dwight, but you really haven't given me a chance. I know you want Audrey back, but,” she sighed, “she was never real. I'm real, Dwight. See?” she asked as she took his hand in hers.

Dwight jerked away as if she had burned him. “What do you want?” he repeated.

“I want William back, and I'm willing to trade for his return,” she answered bluntly.

“What exactly is on your mind?” Dwight leaned on the corner of his desk, hands on his hips.

“Your Trouble...I'll take it away.”

Dwight stared at her. This was not the kind of woman to give an inch. There was something in her eyes that suggested she wasn't being completely honest. “Just like that? You like making the Troubles. You like watching them ruin people. Why would you be willing to take one away? And don't say to get William back because we both know that's not possible anymore.”

“Jennifer is alive,” she looked at him defiantly, “we can still open the door.”

“Jennifer is alive, but it takes four people from your world. There are only three of you now.”

She grinned the coldest evil grin Dwight had ever seen. “We have four. I know of another from my world. What do you say Dwight?”

“No.”

“No?” she asked stunned. She was sure he would jump at the chance to rid himself of his Trouble.

“No. I've learned to live with my Trouble. I won't help you destroy Haven just to get rid of it.”

“Oh but, Dwight, I could give you so much more,” she whispered seductively. “Or I cold make your life an even bigger hell.” She raised her hand and rubbed her fingers over her palm.

He grabbed her wrist when she reached for him. “Not interested.” He pointed toward the door. “You should leave now.”

Mara huffed. She cleared her hand and started toward the door. She didn't make it halfway there before her body jerked and jolted as she fell to the floor in a heap.

Dwight had his taser in his hand.

He walked to the door and called for Stan. The two men carried Mara to a cell and Dwight locked her in.

“What's up, Chief?” Stan asked in confusion.

“She was affected by the same toxin the others were exposed to at the lighthouse,” Dwight said automatically. “She thinks she's someone else. Stan, for her own safety, do not release her or let anyone else do it. Even if she wakes up and seems perfectly fine, do not release her.”

“Sure thing, Chief. Anything else I can do?” Stan asked.

“Yeah, keep your distance. Do not let her touch you. This thing seems to be contagious by skin-to-skin contact. Spread the word. No one gets close.”

“I just touched her arm, Chief,” Stan said worriedly.

“Wash your hands quickly. Clean them with alcohol, and you should be fine.” Dwight improvised.

“Got it, Chief.”

Dwight dialed Nathan as he was leaving the station. “We need to talk,” he said as soon as Nathan answered, “privately.”

“Meet us at The Gull in ten.”

“Us?”

“I'll explain when we get there.”

“On my way.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Gull was closed, but there were lights on inside. Dwight walked in, expecting to see Nathan and maybe Vince. He stopped abruptly in his tracks when he saw that Duke was sitting with Jennifer and Nathan at a table away from the doors and windows.

Duke stood up as Dwight approached. “Hey there, Sasquatch.” Duke put his arms around the big man's shoulders. Dwight returned the hug.

“What the hell is happening? Are you okay, Duke?” Dwight asked as he sat down at the table.

Nathan had poured Dwight a drink and pushed it in front of him. “He walked out of his room about fifteen minutes after you left. They had just released Jennifer. Gloria checked him over and said he seems to be fine. She can't explain it.”

“I _am_ fine,” Duke insisted. “I explained it to you. Mara, for whatever reason, came into the room and healed me.

“Now fill me in on what's happened while I was out,” Duke ordered.

“Mara's in a jail cell,” Dwight said. “The guys all think she was affected by the toxin I told them was at the lighthouse. No one will release her or get too close to her, but we need to find a better solution quickly. Guys, she offered to take away my Trouble if I help her get William back.”

“We couldn't even if we were stupid enough to try. There aren't enough people to open the door,” Duke said.

“She says there's someone else and she knows who it is,” Dwight said.

“Another alien? Duke, I hope your guy gives discounts on bulk green cards,” Jennifer said.

Duke grinned and squeezed Jennifer's hand.

“Maybe we should tell her we'll help,” Jennifer dropped her eyes to her drink as the men turned their attention to her. “I'm sorry, Nathan, but maybe we should trick her into helping us open the door so we can push her through it, too.”

Nathan caught the looked exchanged between Duke and Dwight. “First,” he said with a calmness he didn't feel, “she's not Audrey. I know that. I know that we can't deal with her as though she is.

“Second, I learned my lesson the last time. If Audrey has to go, or even die, to end the Troubles, then that's just the way it has to be.

“Last, Jennifer may be right, but we need to exhaust every other idea we can come up with first because we don't have a clue what Mara going through that door will do to the Troubles. It could end them, leave us stuck with them forever, or make them even worse.”

“Fair enough,” Duke said. “I have one question though. What other ideas have we got?”

“Dave,” Nathan said. “As usual, he hasn't told us everything. We need to get it out of him...all of it.”

“Got your rubber hose and teeth pulling kit, Sasquatch?” Duke asked as he stood.

“I save those for you, Crocker. I think we've got something more...persuasive...for Dave,” Dwight said, looking at Jennifer and standing as well.

“Then let's go,” Jennifer said as she and Nathan stood.

“You're going to the Rouge,” Duke kissed the top of her head.

“I'm going with you,” she said stubbornly.

“She may be able to help, Duke,” Dwight said softly.

“No. I've already lost her once today. That's not going to happen again.”

“You think hiding her on the Rouge will save her?” Nathan asked. “Until we deal with Mara and the Troubles, no one is safe anywhere. At least if she's with us, we can try to protect her.”

“In case you've forgotten, I almost lost _you_ today. I'm not leaving your side until this is over.” Jennifer stood on her toes and kissed Duke.

Duke cupped her face in his hands and kissed her back. “Let's go then,” he finally said.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Vince knew what was happening when three cars pulled up in front of the Haven Herald office. “They're here, Dave. It's time to come clean.”

“Easier said than done, brother.”

Vince stared at him, wondering what was going through his head. He still couldn't understand why Dave had never told him about this.

Jennifer and the men came into the office. Dwight was the last to enter, and he locked the door behind him. “Time for a chat, guys,” he said as he leaned against the support column near the front door.

“Past time, I'd say,” Nathan agreed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Duke not-so-covertly eased his way between the brothers and the back door. “I would have to agree with you on that one, Nate.”

Jennifer sat on Dave's desk. “Spill it,” she ordered.

Dave was taken aback. He had expected the intimidation, but not from Jennifer. He stammered out words, but nothing made sense.

Jennifer slammed her hand on Dave's desk. “Enough with the sweet old man routine! I'm from another world altogether, and _you_ let me believe I was the only one. You let me feel alone, abandoned, half insane, when the entire time, you knew you're from there, too! Spill it!”

Duke couldn't suppress his grin as Dave squirmed in his chair. His little firecracker was definitely lighting a fire under Dave's ass.

“I'm sorry, but I was scared, okay? Hell, I was terrified! You were born to two parents from there, Jennifer, but you were born here. You have no idea what it's like there. None of you do,” he said as he looked from one pair of accusing eyes to another. “You think it's bad here? You think the Troubles are nasty and dangerous? Try living through it ten times worse with no break ever, never mind twenty-seven years.

“The magic that Mara and William brought here is less than a drop in the bucket compared to that world. It's mean. It's evil. It's purely demonic.” Dave started walking toward the storage room.

Duke blocked his path. “You know it's not going to be that easy, Dave.”

Dave sighed. “I'm not trying to leave, Duke. There's an old article you all need to see. Come with me and watch me. I won't try anything.”

Duke looked at Dwight and Nathan. They nodded their heads. Duke and Dave went into the storage room.

“How much of this do you already know, Vince?” Nathan asked.

“None. He's never said a word to me about any of this. I can't, for the life of me, figure out why.”

Dave, with Duke following closely, returned with a very old edition, one of the very first printed, of the Herald. He laid it out on the less cluttered desk of his brother and pointed to a pencil drawn sketch of a man.

Jennifer stepped forward and began reading the article aloud:

 

_The Reverend Flagg Introduces Visiting Missionaries to Help Fight Wytch Craft_

_The Reverend Flagg today invited all citizens of Haven settlement to partake in the offer of visiting missionaries, Miss Mara and Mister William. They have reportedly developed a protection from any and all curses our community might suffer at the hands of wytches._

_Mister William has stated that the protection is an individual process and, as such, requires the laying on of hands. He and Miss Mara will be at The Good Sheppard Church with the Rev all weekend. The entire community is urged to participate as it is thought that one curse from a wytch can affect everyone._

 

“Flagg is a demon,” Dave said. “He travels easily between these two worlds and many others. He is the one who gave Mara and William the ability to come here. He's the one who gave them an endless supply of gelled demon blood...what you call goo balls. The demon blood combined with their evil intentions is what makes the Troubles.”

He turned and looked at Vince. “Vince, your ancestor, and yours, Duke, were true God-fearing men. They tried to open the eyes of the community, but almost all of the settlers went to be _protected_ by Mara and William. They were desperate...truly desperate, so they went to a local woman Teagues knew to be a true witch. She was, in fact, the only witch in the area due to her heritage – she was half Mi'kmaq.

“She was different from everyone's idea of a witch. She only used her powers to help the settlers and the native tribe...crops, healing, and peace between them. She struck a deal with Crocker and Teagues. She would help with a way to reduce the impact of the demon blood, and Teagues and Crocker would protect her from the settlers and protect innocent victims of Flagg and his missionaries.

“The witch had her family build a barn. She used her magic to give it powers beyond what even Teagues had expected. Teagues sent the most trusted of his slaves to be the barn's caretaker. The witch connected the slave magically to the barn. You knew him as agent Howard.

“She used her powers on Teagues, making him and his descendents eternal protectors of the innocent. That's where your birthmark came from, Vince. She also put her own curse on Crocker, he could kill the most devastating Troubles by killing one family member.

“That nearly backfired. Mara and William found out about Crocker. Mara killed him, and William used demon blood to alter the witch's curse in Crocker's son. He's the one who made the Crocker Curse addictive to Troubled blood.

“The younger Crocker and Teagues, with the help of the Mi'kmaq, captured William. The witch took the couple's wedding rings to use them to reinforce her own magic. The rings would be kept by different families, passed down to be used by descendants as a way of teasing Mara.

“The partners gave Mara the choice of going into the barn, watching them slowly and painfully killing William, or killing William quick and easy herself. She chose the barn, obviously.

“Teagues wanted to kill William anyway, but the witch wouldn't let him. He had made a bargain with Mara. If he chose to betray his word to her, then how could the witch trust him?

“So Crocker and Teagues decided to throw William into the barn as well. Part of Howard's job became keeping William and Mara far apart from each other unless she consented to kill him.

“That worked fine for about twenty-seven years. Then Troubles began showing up in the descendants of the original settlers. Mara was given a new identity and released temporarily to help control the Troubles until the Hunter, from which the witch had pulled most of her magic, arrived or Mara consented to kill the man she loved.

“That's how the cycle started.”

Dave sat down in his chair and bowed his head low. “The evil that Cabot wrote would enter our world if that door was ever opened – it's Flagg.”

“Why the new identity each time?” Nathan asked.

“Mara refused to help. She was given the identity of someone who would be happy to help the Troubled. Part of the magic was that the identity she wore had to be someone real and alive while Mara was out of the Barn,” Dave answered weakly.

“Why did you want to help her stay out of the Barn so badly, Dave? Do you enjoy the Troubles so much that you wanted to break the cycle and wreak havoc on Haven?” Duke demanded.

“No! It's been hundreds of years. Don't you think she's suffered enough punishment after all this time?” Dave asked.

The others took a moment to let this all sink in. Confusion, anger, desperation, resignation...all that and more played on each face in the room.

“Why didn't you tell me any of this, Dave? Why didn't you trust me?” Vince asked, breaking the silence.

“It was part of the deal I made to come here and help you, Vince,” Dave sighed. “I couldn't say anything unless you figured it out first. I was sent to help you protect innocent people and keep my mouth shut in exchange for getting away from that hell.”

“Well, now that you've told us how it started, how about telling us how to end it?” Duke smirked. “Or is that forbidden as part of your cover-your-own-ass deal?”

“Don't you think if I knew how to end it that I would have by now?” Dave asked softly.

Jennifer whirled around, leaned on the arms of the chair he sat in, and nearly yelled, “Come on, Dave!”

“Honestly, I don't know. No one does except Flagg, Mara, and William!” he exclaimed.

“Someone else has to know. If the witch was really as good as you said, there's no way she would leave it all to chance,” Nathan protested.

“She didn't know how to end the Troubles or she would have done it then. Think, Nathan, why wouldn't she have at least told Teagues? He was willing to go out on a limb for her and the entire settlement.”

“Maybe she didn't fully trust him,” Dwight said. “Maybe he was as secretive as the two of you.”

“The ring,” Vince mused.

“What ring?” Dave asked.

“After my parents adopted you, Dave, my dad pulled me aside one day. He gave me a ring he said was a family heirloom dating back to the first settlement. He insisted that you never know about it. I was not to wear it, or sell it, or give it away. I was only to pass it to my firstborn or use it when necessary. He never told me what that use might be.”

“You think it's related to the Troubles, Vince?” Dwight asked.

“I don't see how it can't be,” Vince replied.

“You should go get that ring, Vince,” Nathan ordered.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Vince called in a favor and had the manager open the bank. He retrieved the ring from a safety deposit box that was in his name alone, unknown to Dave, and returned to the Herald.

They passed it around. There was nothing new for them to learn from it. It was just a man's ring - the Guard symbol made of black onyx inlaid in mother of pearl in a sterling silver band.

Vince slipped it onto his finger when it was handed back to him. It began to glow, increasing in brightness until everyone in the room had to cover their eyes. When it finally diminished enough for them to see, they all felt tingly and flushed.

“I want that ring.”

They all jerked around to see Mara standing in the storage room doorway. She walked, with true arrogance mixed with grace that made her seem to glide, to the center of the room with her companion. “I said I want that ring.”

Nathan was the first to speak. “Stan, what the hell is she doing out of her cell?”

Stan sneered. “Nathan, did you really think I would leave my sister to the likes of you? You're not worthy for her to wipe her feet on.”

“Stan, what are you saying?” Dwight demanded.

“I'm saying you're not worth all this time and effort. I'm saying that my family comes first. I'm saying it's time for you to bring back my sister's husband.” Stan declared. He strode, with a purpose and stature that none of them had ever seen in him, over to Vince and reached for Vince's hand.

A bolt of electricity, seemingly enough to kill a human being, certainly enough to make them shield their eyes again, shot Stan across the room. He stood right up and glared at Vince. “Give me the ring.”

“No!” Vince exclaimed.

“Give him the ring now,” Mara's soft, sultry voice ordered. She had an arm around Jennifer's neck and a knife to her throat.

Dwight grabbed Duke as Duke started to charge at Mara. Nathan stepped between the men and the women. “You're not going to kill her. You need her to help open the door to get William back.”

Mara drew the knife lightly across Jennifer's throat, drawing blood. “All I need is her body on one of the figures,” she smirked. “Now give Stan the ring, Vince.”

“Don't you dare, Vince!” Jennifer yelled.

Mara squeezed Jennifer's throat with her arm, cutting off her oxygen, until Jennifer passed out. Duke struggled against Dwight to get to Jennifer.

“Vince, don't,” Dave whispered, desperation clear in his voice.

Vince looked at Jennifer's limp body. He looked at the evil determination on Mara's and Stan's faces. He looked at the resignation on Nathan's and Dwight's faces, and at the terror on Duke's. He looked down at the ring and tried to remove it from his finger. It wouldn't budge.

“I can't...I can't get it off,” he said.

“Damn!” Mara shoved Jennifer roughly to the floor and stomped to Vince.

She reached for the ring. The electricity began shocking her, but she slowly pushed her way through. She grabbed the ring around Vince's finger and pulled. She nearly pulled Vince on top of her as she hit the floor hard. The ring remained on Vince's hand.

Duke had made it to Jennifer. She was coming around. She sat up and took in the scene before her.

Stan helped Mara up. They stared at each other in wordless communication. With a nod, they both reached for the ring on Vince's hand.

“No!” Jennifer yelled and pointed the book toward them.

The ring shot the electricity around Mara and Stan, enclosing them in a ball-shaped force field. They struggled for the ring with no success. They struggled to get free with no success. Mara turned toward Jennifer and reached for her. Again, no success.

“Sleep,” Jennifer said.

Mara and Stan both collapsed inside the force field.

“What the hell?” Nathan asked.

“Hell if I know,” Duke said as he helped Jennifer to her feet.

“I guess my instincts are better than I thought. The Book is an instruction manual, but the ring is the real key. It takes someone from each world to control Mara's evil.”

“What about Audrey?” Vince asked. “Is there any way to get her back?”

“No,” Jennifer said. “I'm sorry.”

She turned to Duke but addressed them all, “This cell is to transport them to the doorway. They have to go through. The only way to make sure they go through and nothing else comes this way is for me to go with them.”

“Then I'm coming with you,” Duke said.

“Duke, no,” Nathan said.

“You can't, Duke. You have no idea what it's like there,” Dave said softly.

“I can't let Jennifer go alone,” Duke insisted.

“Look at her, Duke,” Dave said as he placed his hand on the man's shoulder. “Look at her standing there holding these two unstoppable creatures in that field. Jennifer will be even stronger there. She can take care of herself, but you wouldn't have a chance. You'd be a distraction for her. You could get the both of you killed.”

“Dave's right, Duke. I have to take them alone. It's the only way to save Haven.” She tenderly touched his cheek, “It's the only way to save you.”

Duke stared into her eyes. “Are you sure about this? Really sure?”

“Yes, Duke, I am. I have to do this.”

Duke nodded. “Okay.” He didn't bother hiding the tears shining in his eyes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jennifer pointed the book toward the force field holding Mara and Stan. It split in two. Dwight pushed Stan to one of the points on the maze while Duke pushed Mara to another one.

Nathan stepped up to Mara and said, “Audrey, I know you're in there. I don't know if you can hear me. I'm sorry. I should have let you go.”

“That's so...sappy,” Mara laughed. “I promise you, Nathan, your little goodie-two-shoes is long gone. I'm me again. I remember it all. I would never have chosen you. I would have chosen Duke.” She turned to face Duke and purred, “You and I could have had so much fun. We still could if you let me go.”

“You really do need to check Audrey's memories better,” Duke smirked. “You'll see that hurting people was never my idea of fun.”

“Oh, really? The tacks in Nathan's back? That wasn't fun for you?” Mara asked as her evil smile spread across her face.

Duke stepped as close to her as the force field would allow, his face murderous. “Nathan hadn't spoken to me in a week. The tacks were just a way to get his attention. It was never to hurt him. You can go back to hell.” he turned and walked to Jennifer.

“So how do we do this? I mean, is Dave going to go all bat-shit crazy again?” Duke asked.

“I've been thinking about that. I think Vince should push Mara through, Nathan should push Stan through, and you and Dwight should protect Dave.”

“Sounds good,” Dwight said. “What do you think, Nathan?”

“No. I should push Mara, and Vince should push Stan.”

“Are you sure about that, Nate? Can you really do it?” Duke asked softly.

“I can do it. She's not Audrey. She's evil, and she has to go. I need to be the one to do it because I'm the reason she's here in the first place.”

Dwight nodded. “Whenever you're ready, Jennifer.” He and Nathan went to Dave and Mara. Vince went to Stan.

“I love you, Duke. You've been so good to me. I'll never forget you,” Jennifer said.

Duke hugged her tightly to him. “I love you, too. Thank you for everything.” He kissed her and went to Dave.

Jennifer held the book out over the door and opened it. Dave started moving forward, but Dwight and Duke held him tight. Vince pushed Stan into the abyss.

Mara took one last shot, “Nathan, please don't do this. It' me, Audrey. I love you, Nathan.”

“I love you, Audrey,” Nathan said as he pushed Mara into the abyss.

Jennifer dropped the book on the floor of the cavern. She yelled, “I love you, Duke,” and jumped.

Nathan ran and grabbed the book. He put it in Dave's hand and held it over the door. The door closed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dwight, Duke, Vince, Dave, and Nathan sat on the deck of The Gull drinking scotch and watching the sunrise. It had been a long day and night, but no one was ready to face going home.

“I'm sorry you guys lost so much,” Dwight said.

“We've all been through hell, Sasquatch. You lost a lot, too.”

“I can't help thinking that most of it could have been avoided if you two had been more forthcoming,” Nathan glared at Vince and Dave.

Dave looked away, but Vince held his ground. “Nathan, we couldn't have known any of this would make a difference.”

“Really?” Duke asked. “Is that how you two write the articles for the Herald? _What we know won't make a difference?_ Go ahead and take me off the mailing list.”

“You guys are talking like it's over. We still have the Troubles to fight, possibly forever now,” Dwight said.

“Maybe they've ended,” Dave suggested. “How can we know yet?”

“Because I can't feel anything, Dave,” Nathan sneered.

“Maybe it's a delayed effect. Or maybe they'll end with this generation,” Dave whined.

Duke pulled his knife from his pocket and handed it to Dwight, “Care to do the honors?”

Dwight took the knife and carefully nicked his finger. “You're sure?” he asked Duke.

Duke just reached his hand out and swiped the back of his hand across Dwight's finger. He turned his hand over as the blood was absorbed into his skin. His eyes turned silver, and he squeezed the arm of his chair so hard out of frustration that the chair broke.

“Anyone have any ideas now? Other than continuing to risk our lives daily keeping this godforsaken, ungrateful town safe?” Nathan asked, taunting Vince and Dave because of his own frustration.

“I know I'm the last one you ever expected to hear this from, but what about Duke? Now that Mara and William won't be altering any Troubles or creating new ones, we can eradicate them all,” Vince suggested.

“Go to hell, Vince. I am not your personal executioner. I am not an executioner at all,” Duke growled angrily.

“Your ring,” Dave said as he sat up excitedly. “Maybe your ring and the book can tell us something.”

Nathan pulled the book from his pocket and passed it to Vince. Vince examined the cover and flipped through the book. “Nothing,” he said. “Dave, did you see anything?”

“No,” Dave said softly. “It was worth a shot.”

Duke got up and said, “Follow me.” They all grabbed their glasses and got up to follow him inside the bar. Nathan grabbed the scotch.

Duke went behind the bar. The others sat at a table and Nathan refreshed their drinks. Duke joined them with his father's weapons box that he had retrieved from his safe.

“Let me see those,” Duke said as he indicated the book and Vince's ring.

Vince removed the ring from his finger and handed it and the book over to Duke.

Duke moved things around in the box to make room for the items. He placed them inside and closed the box.

Another burst of light began inside the box. It grew much faster than any before and grew far larger than any of them could see. There was an explosion of sound that echoed throughout Haven. Everyone was knocked out on the floor.

Nathan was the first to come around. The hard floor beneath him made every bone and muscle in his body ache. He sat up in confusion.

Dwight was next. He moved slowly, aching from head to toe. “What the hell was that?” he moaned questioningly.

Duke eased himself up and looked around. “I guess Canada finally dropped the bomb on us, huh?”

Vince and Dave finally started to stir as the others were gaining their feet. They helped the brothers into chairs before sitting back down themselves.

“What was that?” Vince demanded.

“I think it was the end of the Troubles,” Nathan said as he looked at his hands, “I can feel again.”

Vince and Dave looked stunned. “How did you know to do that, Duke?” Vince asked.

“I didn't. I just wanted to bury that shit and never look at it again.”

“How do we know it was everyone?” Dave asked. “Maybe it was just you guys.”

“It was everyone,” Dwight said as he removed his vest. “Can't you feel the difference. The weight in the town is gone. It feels light, fresh, and new.”

Nathan and Duke both nodded.

“We deserve it after all we've lost and been through,” Vince said.

That remark earned him nothing but glares from Nathan, Duke, and Dwight.

“Maybe we should go check things out around town, Vince,” Dave said when he noticed the glares.

“Yes. Yes, we should,” Vince agreed. He had noticed the glares, too.

When Vince and Dave were out the door, Dwight asked, “Now, what the hell happened?”

“I think the book realized that all the material factors were together, and that it meant everyone, the Guard, the Troubled, and the untroubled, had finally joined together. It must have signaled the ring to respond, and the weapons and Crocker journal strengthened it to end the Troubles once and for all. Least, that's all I can figure,” Nathan said.

“Makes sense to me,” Duke said.

Dwight shook his head and said, “I think I need to call it a day. My head is spinning and my body feels like hell. I'll be sleeping for a week, so if you need me, don't.” he grinned.

“Go on, Sasquatch. Time for you to hibernate,” Duke teased.

Dwight hugged both Nathan and Duke before he left.

“Guess you have to open The Gull soon,” Nathan said.

“Tracy's opening today. I'm headed to The Rouge,” Duke refilled their glasses. “No, you know what? I think I'm gonna take The Celeste and go fishing up the coast. Care to join me?”

Nathan took a long drink of scotch. He thought about all that had happened in the last year. He thought about the years of fighting with Duke and trying to be friends. He said, “Can I ask you a question?”

Duke looked at him. “Of course.”

“Did you mean what you said to Mara about the tacks just being a way to get my attention?”

“Yes, I did.”

Duke swallowed his drink and poured each of them another.

Nathan chuckled as he reached for his glass. “To tacks,” he said and raised his glass for a toast.

“To tacks,” Duke said.

Nathan sat his glass down and looked at Duke. “Let's go fishing. No damn hooks in my back though.”

“I'm not making any promises,” Duke grinned.


End file.
